A bankruptcy of values and ideas

Two recent news items, both involving Democrat senators, underscore the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of the modern Democratic Party.

CNS News focuses on Senator Hillary Clinton's lurch to the right in anticipation of her imminent presidential run. Of course, this is nothing new; Hillary has been plotting and implementing her move for some time.

Despite being a feminist icon and a favorite of the antiwar, anti-Christian Left, Hillary has been laying the groundwork for what would appear to be a complete break with those constituencies.

She has pretended to be of the Michelle Malkin school on illegal immigration, has begun wearing religion on her sleeve, has been General Patton on national defense, and has seemed to vacillate on abortion -- a blasphemy that by rights should earn her enduring enmity from Liberaldom.

During a speech to the New York State Family Planning Providers (NYSFPP) in January, Hillary said, "I, for one, respect those who believe with all their hearts and conscience that that there are no circumstances under which any abortion should ever be available."

I, for one, seriously doubt Hillary's sincerity, based on her past position on abortion, other statements she made during her speech and her present incentive to transform her image. Even if Hillary has cultivated a new tolerance for pro-lifers (dream on), it's highly unlikely her position has changed on abortion, no matter what rhetorical bones she throws to the right.

As CNS reminds us, it was Hillary, in 1994, while in Beijing, who coined the phrase "Women's rights are human rights." Janice Crouse, a Christian activist, observed that Hillary wasn't referring merely to the right of women "to earn the same salary, the right to have opportunity and so forth." She was talking about "the whole women's rights agenda, which includes abortion, acknowledgment and mainstreaming lesbianism and the whole range of gender issues." Exactly.

Even during her speech to the NYSFPP, Hillary said that Roe v. Wade (the infamous 1973 Supreme Court abortion case) was "a landmark decision that struck a blow for freedom and equality for women." She told the audience she looked forward "to working with all of you as we fight to defend it in the coming years."

While Hillary said she hoped those on opposite sides of the abortion issue could find "common ground," it's obvious that what she is really looking for is common ground between herself and a sufficient number of voters.

Do you honestly think it's conceivable that Hillary would appear before a militantly pro-abortion group and say nice things about pro-lifers were she not running for the presidency?